Database: Sumiyoshi Shrine

Sumiyoshi Shrine takes its original name, "Suminoe," from the cove southwest of the Uemachi Plateau and was dedicated to the ancient deity of navigation; in the precincts, ship owners offered up more than 600 stone lanterns between the 17th and 19th centuries. The transportation of the mikoshi (portable shrine to transport a deity) to Sakai during the great summer festival demonstrates the connection between the Sumiyoshi Shrine and the port city.

In the 9th century, the deity's influence extended to waka poetry, an essential element of education in the imperial court, and many aristocrats came to worship it in the Middle Ages. It is perhaps thanks to this connection with the Court that some imperial New Year rituals or sumo wrestling rituals have been passed down to the shrine to this day.

When medieval pilgrims visited a sanctuary, they would first wash their hands with water prepared in a bucket as an act of purification. The Ise Shrine still has a remnant of the mitarashiba, where people washed their hands with river water, while modern shrines have hand-washing facilities. After bowing in front of the torii (the shrine gate), pilgrims would walk along the edge of the path, avoiding the center, into the enclosure housing the main pavilions. At the worship pavilion, they would bow slightly, take off their shoes, sit on the pavilion floor, bow again slightly, clap their hands twice, and finally bow deeply twice before saying their prayer. After two additional deep bows, clap their hands twice, then bow slightly once again before standing up, leaving the pavilion and exiting through the torii. The number of deep bows varies from one, two or four, depending on the shrine.